Sacramento State’s Extreme Dance Team won first place in the hip-hop division of the 2005 United Spirit Association Collegiate Nationals held in Las Vegas on Feb. 6-7.

The team was judged on three different categories including choreography, execution and showmanship with an emphasis on uniformity, body isolation, creativity, visual effect and rhythm.

The routine lasted the maximum time allowed, two and half minutes, and was choreographed by team member Corina Clark with help from her best friend and teammate Dachelle Johnson.

“We weren’t concerned about winning first place. It was just about what we wanted to do, what we thought was fun and what we like,” Clark said.

“It was just us making a thing that we really wanted to do, things that we are used to doing. We dance all the time anyways so we were like hey we get to make routine out of it,” Johnson said.

Most dance teams pay professionals to come in and choreograph their routines, but Julie Roberts, director of the Extreme Dance Team, asked Clark to take on the task.

“It took me and Dachelle about three weeks to choreograph and the team picked up on it in about three weeks,” Clark said. “Which is very surprising, it usually takes a team, to perfect a routine, anywhere between 6 months to 12 months.

“It was just a matter of drilling it over and over.”

The dance team practiced their routine two hours everyday for the past two months. Usually the team practices three days a week for two hours. They also perform at Hornet football and basketball games.

Clark explained that the team’s main concern is making sure that they support Sac State. “We’re basically like a spirit/support group for the school,” she said.

Although the team beat Washington State and nationally ranked Kentucky, the girls’ attitudes remained humble.

“We would have been satisfied with sixth if we did our best,” said Clark.